Sarah Francis Biography
Sarah Janet Francis (born 11 January 1938) is a British oboist known for her "refined" chamber music work. She specialises in composers of the 20th century, and has given the premiere of British works including Gordon Crosse's Ariadne (1972) and Herbert Howells's Oboe Sonata (1984), as well as the first British performances of several other contemporary works for the oboe. She also plays Baroque composers such as Telemann and rarely heard early-19th-century repertoire. Her teachers include Terence MacDonagh and Pierre Pierlot. She was the principal oboist of the BBC Welsh Orchestra (1961–63) and has directed the London Harpsichord Ensemble since 1981. She is an honorary fellow of the Royal College of Music (2001) where she was professor of oboe (from 1974), and a former chair of the British Double Reed Society.
